TY - JOUR
T1 - Features and Functionalities of Medical Mobile Applications for the Endemic Phase of COVID‐19
T2 - Review and Content Analysis
AU - Loy, Mei Jun
AU - Goh, Khang Wen
AU - Osili, Norliza
AU - Ming, Long Chiau
AU - Dhaliwal, Jagjit Singh
AU - Hermansyah, Andi
AU - Al-Worafi, Yaser Mohammed
AU - Lee, Kah Seng
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: No external funding was provided for this research.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, HH Publisher. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/1/20
Y1 - 2022/1/20
N2 - The study's objective was to assess the features and content of the COVID-19 mobile applications accessible in the Apple AppStore. A content analysis, comparison, and functionality evaluation of a few COVID-19 related mobile applications was performed. The search for COVID-19 related apps in the iOS AppStore took place between February 1 and March 31, 2022. The mobile applications received a maximum of 7 points (basic feature assessment) and 8 points overall (functionality assessment). The requirements were fully met by receiving one point. Frequencies from descriptive statistics were used to allude to the applications' features according to the app's basic purpose. A total of 234 applications were recognized using the keywords to exploreCOVID-19 related mobile applications in Apple AppStore. However, 58 mobile applications (24.8%) relevant to COVID-19 were evaluated. According to the findings of an evaluation of basic aspects of mobile applications, 89.7% require an internet connection, 70.7% have a size of less than 50 MB, 96.6% require no funding, 58.6% include educational content, and 60.3% offer advice from the applications. In terms of score, 41.4% scored three or below, whereas 58.6% scored four or above. Functionality assessment wise, 79.3% included information regarding COVID-19, 12.1% included COVID-19 contact tracing, 17.2% had vaccination status, a health authority maintained 50%, 31.0% included COVID-19 statistics, and 25.8% were able to report ART/PCR test. In terms of score, 91.4% scored three points or less, and 8.6% scored four points or more. This study has discovered several applications that could effectively prevent COVID-19 pandemic spread. Based on the findings, mobile applications that would be recommended are the ones supported by the government health administration of the respective country. App development companies’ applications show that competent healthcare personnel was not involved in developing the applications. Online consultation with healthcare professionals might help the public who do not have access to the nearest hospital.
AB - The study's objective was to assess the features and content of the COVID-19 mobile applications accessible in the Apple AppStore. A content analysis, comparison, and functionality evaluation of a few COVID-19 related mobile applications was performed. The search for COVID-19 related apps in the iOS AppStore took place between February 1 and March 31, 2022. The mobile applications received a maximum of 7 points (basic feature assessment) and 8 points overall (functionality assessment). The requirements were fully met by receiving one point. Frequencies from descriptive statistics were used to allude to the applications' features according to the app's basic purpose. A total of 234 applications were recognized using the keywords to exploreCOVID-19 related mobile applications in Apple AppStore. However, 58 mobile applications (24.8%) relevant to COVID-19 were evaluated. According to the findings of an evaluation of basic aspects of mobile applications, 89.7% require an internet connection, 70.7% have a size of less than 50 MB, 96.6% require no funding, 58.6% include educational content, and 60.3% offer advice from the applications. In terms of score, 41.4% scored three or below, whereas 58.6% scored four or above. Functionality assessment wise, 79.3% included information regarding COVID-19, 12.1% included COVID-19 contact tracing, 17.2% had vaccination status, a health authority maintained 50%, 31.0% included COVID-19 statistics, and 25.8% were able to report ART/PCR test. In terms of score, 91.4% scored three points or less, and 8.6% scored four points or more. This study has discovered several applications that could effectively prevent COVID-19 pandemic spread. Based on the findings, mobile applications that would be recommended are the ones supported by the government health administration of the respective country. App development companies’ applications show that competent healthcare personnel was not involved in developing the applications. Online consultation with healthcare professionals might help the public who do not have access to the nearest hospital.
KW - coronavirus
KW - disaster management
KW - essential healthcare services
KW - health education
KW - health emergency preparedness
KW - health system access
KW - infectious disease
KW - mHealth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145283272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.36877/pmmb.a0000285
DO - 10.36877/pmmb.a0000285
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85145283272
SN - 2637-1049
VL - 5
JO - Progress in Microbes and Molecular Biology
JF - Progress in Microbes and Molecular Biology
IS - 1
M1 - a0000285
ER -
